Connection establishment system and method / Nec Corporation

Title: Connection establishment system and method.Abstract: A method of determining whether to accept a connection request from a user device requesting connection to a communications network is described. The method includes receiving a connection request from the user device, the connection request including a predefined identifier. A message requesting capability information associated with the user device is then generated and transmitted and the capability information is received in response. The method further includes determining whether to permit a connection to the user device based on the capability information and transmitting a message to release or reject or to establish the connection based on the determining. Apparatus for performing the method, including an eNodeB, gateway and user device are also described and corresponding methods of operation these components are provided. ...

BACKGROUND

In telecommunications networks, connections are established between components or nodes in the network. In particular, connections are established between user equipment (UE), such as mobile communication devices, and base station (eNodeB or eNB) components. Further connections are provided between the eNB components and gateway devices, such as Mobility Management Entity (MME) devices in the core network. These connections are established using an exchange of connection request and confirmation messages between the devices in the network.

In some situations, a plurality of different network types may be available offering a plurality of different services to the UE, for example E-UTRAN, UTRAN and GERAN networks. The most appropriate network for the UE to connect to may depend on the capability of the UE and the service required.

One procedure for determining the network to which the UE should connect is set out below. The systems and methods described herein provide a simplified mechanism for service-based redirection.

The various acronyms applicable in the telecommunications network will of course be familiar to those skilled in the art, but a glossary is appended for the benefit of lay readers. Although for efficiency of understanding for those of skill in the art the invention will be described in detail in the context of a E-UTRAN system, the principles of the identifier system can be applied to other systems, e.g. 3G, CDMA or other wireless systems in which users access network services via base station components and gateway devices with the corresponding elements of the system changed as required. The present methods and systems may also be implemented in wireless local area networks (WLANs) or other local or wide area networks (LANs or WANs).

DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION

Aspects of the invention are set out in the independent claims and preferred features are set out in the dependent claims. Further aspects of the systems and methods will be apparent from the description of an embodiment set out below. The invention provides, for all methods disclosed, corresponding computer programs or computer program products for execution on corresponding equipment, the equipment itself (user equipment, nodes, networks or components thereof, including gateway and base station nodes for carrying out the methods described) and methods of configuring and updating the equipment. Features of one aspect may be applied to other aspects.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Embodiments of the method and system claimed herein will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 schematically illustrates part of a mobile telecommunication system of a type to which the embodiment is applicable;

FIG. 2 schematically illustrates part of a second type of mobile telecommunication system to which the embodiment is applicable;

FIG. 3 shows a redirection procedure from E-UTRAN to UTRAN/GERAN according to one embodiment;

FIG. 4 illustrates a redirection method according to one embodiment;

FIG. 5 illustrates a redirection method according to a further embodiment;

FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating components of one of the base stations of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 7 is a block diagram illustrating components of one of the mobile telephones of FIG. 1.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

FIG. 1 schematically illustrates a mobile (cellular) telecommunication system 1 in which users of mobile (or cellular) telephones (MT) 3-0, 3-1, and 3-2 can communicate with other users (not shown) via one of the base stations 5-1, 5-2 or 5-3 and a telephone network 7. The telephone network 7 includes a plurality of components including gateway components 9-1, 9-2. It will be appreciated by the skilled person that the each base station 5-1, 5-2, 5-3 may connect to the telephone network 7 via either gateway 9-1, 9-2 and that all base stations 5-1, 5-2, 5-3 may connect via the same gateway 9-1, 9-2. Similarly, each mobile telephone 3 may connect to the telephone network 7 via either base station 5 and that all mobile telephones 3 may connect via the same base station 5. One or more base stations 5 may be arranged into a Radio Access Network (RAN), controlled by a Radio Network Controller (RNC), which may be implemented as part of a base station 5 in the RAN or as a separate component (not shown).

When a mobile telephone 3 enters the network 7, for example by being switched on, a connection is established between the mobile telephone 3 and a base station 5 and between the base station 5 and a gateway device 9. This enables communication between the mobile telephone 3 and other components in the network 7.

An E-UTRAN protocol network may also be termed an LTE or Long Term Evolution of UTRAN network.

FIG. 2 schematically illustrates a mobile (cellular) telecommunication system 2 according to the UTRAN protocol in which users of mobile (or cellular) telephones (MT) 210-1, 210-2 and 210-3 (which may be termed user devices or user equipment (UE)) can communicate with other users (not shown) via one of the base stations 212-1, 212-2 and 212-3 (which may be termed NodeBs or NBs). Each of the base stations is associated with a network controller 214-1, 214-2, or RNC (Radio Network Controller), which is then connected to a telephone network 218 or Core Network (CN). The telephone network 218 includes a plurality of components including gateway components 216-1, 216-2, in one embodiment SGSNs.

In a UTRAN network, handover of UEs may also be performed between base stations. The handover of a UE between base stations in a UTRAN network may also involve a handover between controllers in the network and a handover between gateway components in the network.

A UTRAN protocol network may also be referred to as a UMTS network (Universal Mobile Telecommunications System network).

Each type of telecommunications network may be termed a Radio Access Technology (RAT).

One skilled in the art will appreciate that each type of network may include fewer or additional network components and FIGS. 1 and 2 are not intended to be limiting in any way.

One reason for enabling the redirection of connections from user devices from E-UTRAN to UTRAN is that LTE introduction in an operator\'s network does not necessarily mean that all services are provided in a particular operator\'s network over LTE access from the beginning. For example, voice services may not be provided in E-UTRAN at the beginning as this may limit the LTE deployment flexibility.

Other advantages that may be provided by the claimed Inter-RAT handover system include network sharing, traffic load balancing among different RATs, radio condition degradation in the source RAT and subscription/policy based mobility control.

A service-based redirection procedure will now be described in more detail with reference to FIG. 3.

A UE 310 sends a Radio Resource Control (RRC) Connection Request message to an eNB 312, which replies with an RRC Connection Setup message. The eNB 312 determines the service requested by the UE 310 from an “establishment cause” identifier in the RRC Connection Request message. On receipt of the RRC Connection Setup message, the UE 310 sends an RRC Connection setup complete message, including a Service Request message to the eNB 312.

The eNB 312 then sends an Initial UE message to the MME 314 to request connection of the UE 310 through to the MME 314. The MME 314 replies with an Initial Context Setup Request message to the eNB 312. The Initial Context Setup Request message includes details of the capabilities of the UE 310. The eNB 312 may determine the service that is required to be provided to the UE 310 based on the capability information received from the MME 314, for example based on the bearer level QoS parameters.

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20110120|20110014912|connection establishment system and method|A method of determining whether to accept a connection request from a user device requesting connection to a communications network is described. The method includes receiving a connection request from the user device, the connection request including a predefined identifier. A message requesting capability information associated with the user device |Nec-Corporation